Nut-lock.



No. 67?,584. Patented Apr. 9, IBM. F. CDMMINGE & A. P. SIPE.

NUT LOCK.

(Application filed. May 19, 1900.)

(No Model.)

m'tizesses: nuclei rzs:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK COMMINGE AND ALBERT P. SIPE, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

NUT-LOCK.

il-"EGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 671.584, dated April9, 1901.

Application filed May 19, 1900. serial No. 17,224. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK COMMINGE and ALBERT P. SIPE, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Nut-Locks, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of-this specification, inwhich- Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a railjoint, illustratingthe application of our improved nut-lock. Fig. 2 is an end view of thebolt with the nut in place. Fig. 3 is a detail face view of the springlockingwasher. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view thereof. Fig. 5 is adetail view showing the bearingpoint turned inward. Fig. 6 is a faceView of the under side of the nut.

Our invention relates to nut-locks, and is designed for the purpose oflocking the nut upon the bolt within limited periods of its rotation;and it consists of a spring-washer adapted to be placed upon the bolt soas to be incapable of rotation thereon by reason of engagement with theflange of the fishplate or rail and adapted to engage recesses on theunder side of the nut.

Referring to the drawings, 2 represents the bolt, which is of the usualor ordinary construction adapted to use in a rail-joint to connect therail 3 and fish-plates 4: 4.. Upon the bolt is placed our improvedspring-steel Washer 5, provided with an opening 6 for the bolt andhaving divided circumferential spring extremities 7 '7, the terminals ofwhich are arranged in close proximity to each other and are deflected inopposite directions. These extremities taper toward their points andeach is provided with oppositely-disposed lugs 8 8, projecting outwardlybeyond the plane of its spring member 7. At the opposite end thewasherplate is provided with two bearing-points 9 9, the interveningmetal being cut out or recessed, as shown at 10.

-The sides of the washer may be continued down straight to the points,as shown in Fig. 2, or the curvature of the spring extremities 7 may beextended downwardly and inwardly and then outwardly to the points 9, asshown in Fig. 4, thus rendering the members 7 more elastic, while notimpairing the strength of the washer. The distance from the center ofopening 6 to the point 9 is made to correspond to the distance from thecenter of the bolt down to the corner angle of the flange, so that whenthe washer is placed in position, as shown, it will be effectuallyprevented from rotating in either direction by reason of the bearing ofthe points 9.

The nut 11, which may be of any desired sl1apehexagon, square, &c.isprovided on its inner face with a series of indentations or depressions12, adapted to register with one of the lugs 8, the recesses having onone side an abrupt slightly-beveled shoulder 13 and on the other side alonger tapering face 14, thus on one side presenting a good bearing ,forthe lug to prevent unscrewing of the nut,

while the more gradual face on the other side permits of its easyadjustment. The abrupt face 13 will, however, permit the nut to beunscrewed by application of excessive force. In applying the nut, thewasher having been previously adjusted to position on the bolt, theturning operation will bring the inner face into contact with the lug 8,which will be gradually depressed and will exert a spring actionoutwardly. As each of the depressions on the under side'of the nut comesinto register with the lug it will spring outwardly, the beveled facesfacilitating the terminal operations by permitting the nut to ride overand depress the lug, which will spring into each succeeding recess, thespring-terminal of the washer having sufiicient play by reason of itstapered thickness. The locking operation is obtained through theresistance to the unscrewing of the nut oifered by the shoulder 13,which, as has been said, is comparatively abrupt, while the depressionson the under side of the nutare of advantage and value in insuringengagement for the deflected ends of the Washer. Good results may be hadby using a nut having a flat inner face, the lugs being sufficientlysharp to have a good holding contact with the face of the nut and of thefishplate, approximating a square shoulder. As thus constructed ournut-lock provides a certain lock against dislodgment or movement of thenut due to jarring of the track from trains or vibration from any sourcewherever in use, and being operated entirely through the screwing orunscrewing action of the nut it will be seen that it may be applied orreversed with the same wrench, thus obviating the necessity of specialtools.

Our invention is very simple, cheap, and eflicient and provides areliable and durable nut-lock, while being capable of use any number oftimes without Wear or damage to the thread of the'bolt or to the nut.The washers are stamped out of sheet metal with a minimum of waste,While the nuts may be pro vided with recesses in the operation ofstamping them.

Having described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. A nut-lock Washer-plate provided With a bolt-hole, surroundingoutwardly-deflected spring extremities terminating closely adjacent toeach other, having oppositely-projecting rounded terminals of the samedepth as the thickness of the Washer-plate, the extrem ities beingtapered in thickness on their outer faces so as to provide recessesimmediately back of the rounded terminals whereby when under compressionof a ratchet-faced nut,said terminals yieldingly engage theratchet-recesses and the washer aifords a substantially flat bearing forthe nut, substantially as set forth.

2. A nut-lookwasher-plate provided with a bolt-hole, surroundingoutwardly-deflected spring extremities terminating closely adjacent toeach other, having oppositely-project- ,ing rounded terminals of thesame depth as thethickness of the washer-plate,the extremities beingtapered in thickness on their outer faces so as to provide recessesimmediately back of the rounded terminals whereby when under compressionof a ratchet-faced nut, said terminals yieldingly engage theratchetrecesses and the washer affords a substantial] y fiat bearing forthe nut, the washer having downwardly-projecting bearingpoints adaptedto prevent it from turning, substantially as set forth. I

3. In a nut-lock, the combination with a bolt of a washer-plate thereonhaving surrounding outwardly-deflected spring extremities terminatingclosely adjacent to each other and provided with oppositely-projectingrounded terminals of the same depth as the thickness of theWasher-plate,the extremities being tapered in thickness on their outerfaces so as to provide recesses immediately back of the roundedterminals, and a nut having a series of depressionsof a depth to admitthe entrance of one of the rounded terminals, the depressions having ateach side inwardly-sloping beveled shoulders adapted to bear against therounded spring terminal whereby when under compression of the nut saidterminals yieldingly engage the depressions and the washer aifords asubstantially flat bearing for the nut, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK OOMMINGE. ALBERT P. SIPE. Witnesses:

PETER J. EDWARDS, O. M. CLARKE.

